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Form of workVeterinary Social Worker - Redwood City
WHO WE ARE:
SAGE Veterinary Centers is a nationally renowned network of veterinary specialty hospitals. Our doctors and top-notch support personnel operate in an environment that emphasizes serving our patients, clients, and referring veterinarians with high-quality, compassionate, and ethical care. Together, we actively foster an environment of inclusiveness, learning, and growth.
We are seeking a dedicated Veterinary Social Worker to join our amazing staff at our beautiful Redwood City location!
JOB SUMMARY:
The Veterinary Social Worker’s (VSW) primary responsibility is to provide multifaceted assistance and support to clients (pet parents) and team members of their assigned veterinary hospital. The VSW will work as a collaborative team member embedded in the hospital.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Incumbent must have the skills, ability, and judgment to perform the following essential job duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation:
Client Care
- Provide support to clients per need or by consult from doctors and team members.
- Provide support for clients experiencing high stress or emotionality.
- Introduce services to clients by phone or in person.
- Assess and intervene with clients who express suicidal intent or desperation at their pet’s loss or potential loss, with clients lacking in lucidity, with couples in disagreement, families with children, and elderly clients. Facilitate treatment of pet(s) by mediating/liaising with doctors and team members in these cases and connect these clients with outside resources as per need.
- Provide consultation to doctors and team members regarding VSW assessment of clients for facilitation of treatment of their pet and communication with clients.
- Provide pet loss/grief support to clients:
- Facilitate or co-facilitate pet caregiver support group.
- By phone/email provide ongoing follow-up with clients as per need for pet loss/grief support.
- Establish and maintain consistent documentation of client intervention in medical record and another source which maintains the confidentiality of clients.
- Facilitate end-of-life decision-making with referred clients:
- Empower clients with quality-of-life tools.
- Provide euthanasia or palliative care/hospice information and resources.
- Develop and/or maintain resources and meaningful use of resources.
- Communicate with the multidisciplinary team about client progress.
- Attend meetings or rounds whenever possible, working as a member of the multidisciplinary team to enhance the care of patients and clients.
- Enhance the hospital’s service regarding euthanasia of animals, memorialization, and follow-up with clients.
Team Member Care
- Offer short-term support to team members in crisis or suffering from compassion fatigue, burnout, or other situations which may impair their ability to work effectively.
- Assess and intervene for suicidal ideation/trauma/domestic violence among team members.
- Support doctors and team members by assisting in communication with clients by freeing them when clients demand excessive time.
- Provide debriefing individually or at meetings/groups as needed.
- Provide other short-term support as per need, such as mediation of conflict, assessment, and referral for outside or EAP counseling.
- Partner with VSW manager and People & Culture to appropriately escalate high risk workplace concerns.
- Partner with VSW manager, site leadership and People & Culture (as appropriate) to address low risk workplace conflict and provide mediated conversations between team members.
SAGE Community
- Serve as a field instructor for Social Work student interns, patiently mentoring interns while also being able to delegate tasks and teach VSW skills.
- Consult with the veterinary social work manager/team, hospital leadership, and People & Culture (HR) regarding the wellbeing of staff to enhance hospital functioning and foster an environment of support and compassion within the hospital.
- Collaborate and partner with Learning & Development on team member education for pertinent programs.
- Perform other duties and projects as needed.
ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS
The requirements listed below are representative of the education, knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for the incumbent:
- Master’s Degree in Social Work.
- State of California Social Work License or license eligible. If licensed, in good standing with the Board of Behavioral Sciences.
- Two + years of post-master’s experience OR extensive training in an established VSW program.
- Maintain individual liability insurance (cost is reimbursable from SAGE).
- Exceptional emotional intelligence, leadership, problem-solving, interpersonal, communication (oral and written), and organizational skills. Comfortable using direct communication with a variety of personality types.
- Extraordinary professional integrity with an unbreakable commitment to confidentiality & discretion while managing sensitive client, team member, and organizational information.
- Have a confident, assertive, authentic, flexible, and grounded personality with respect for introversion.
- Experience assisting clients who display controlling behavior and/or present as emotionally charged.
- Good understanding of the human animal bond relationship, attachment to pets and appreciation of the impact of pet death on families and clinical professionals.
- Ability to work independently.
- High tolerance for graphic medical procedures and information in our fast-paced clinical environment.
- Collaborative critical thinker with strong conceptual, analytical, research, assessment, problem solving skills and abilities, consistently demonstrating accuracy, and thoroughness.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and able to deal with shifting priorities daily in a time-sensitive environment.
- Remarkable ability to learn quickly and apply skills immediately, maintaining flexibility, adaptability, and a positive, problem-solving approach to complex issues.
- Flexibility regarding schedule to support clients and team members in a 24/7, multi-shift environment.
- Technologically savvy and curious with excellent computer skills and an intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office and video conferencing technologies.
- Strong presentation development and delivery skills, including public speaking experience preferred.
- Teaching experience in informal or formal settings preferred.
- Experience in medical social work, child welfare, or hospice settings preferred.
- Training and experience with loss and grief theory and/or trauma preferred.
- Experience working successfully with multi-disciplinary teams preferred.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The requirements listed below are representative of the physical ability required:
- Sit for 1 to 4 hours and stand for 1 to 4 hours per workday.
- Properly lift and carry up to 15 pounds.
- Properly bend at the waist.
- Repetitively operate a computer and other office machinery.
PERKS
We offer competitive compensation and a benefits package with generous employer cost sharing that includes medical, dental, and vision, flexible spending, and a 401(k)-retirement plan that can include company contributions. We also offer paid time off, plus paid holidays.
Compensation range: $75,000 - $85,000 annually
This description portrays in general terms the type and levels of work performed and is not intended to be all-inclusive or represent specific duties of any one incumbent. The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through a combination of formal schooling, self-education, prior experience, or on-the-job training.
SAGE Veterinary Centers ispart of National Veterinary Associates, NVA. NVA is a growing community of general practice clinics, emergency hospitals, equine practices, specialty hospitals, and pet resorts across five countries. Our doctors and animal care teams share best practices, medical knowledge, innovation, and insights. This collaborative approach allows each individual practice and pet resort to do what they do best: service their local community with compassionate, best-in-class care and medicine, to enhance the lives of the animals they love while backed by the support, stability, and leadership of NVA.
NVA offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees
NVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
